The present invention relates to a portable pen-based information terminal apparatus suitably applicable to mobile communication media integrally including, for example, a transmitter-receiver.
Recently, portable information terminal apparatuses have been rapidly popularized and have been broadly utilized with, for example, various mobile communication media.
In operation of such a portable information terminal apparatus, information (radio wave) is communicated by E-mail or facsimile through a telephone line or a portable wireless unit such that realtime information can be obtained while the terminal apparatus is moving.
Heretofore, a portable information terminal apparatus of this kind includes a housing including a pen storing section and a keyboard integrally including a communication section and a control section; a cover or lid including a display, i.e., a display and input section, and an input pen which is insertable into and removable from the pen storing section.
When using the information terminal apparatus as an information input unit or an information communicating device, data is inputted by the input pen or from the keyboard to be displayed on the display.
Each of the information terminal apparatuses inevitably includes an antenna to communicate information. These apparatuses are classified depending on a type of the antenna. Namely, the antenna is exposed (exposed antenna type) or is internally disposed (internal antenna type).
The information terminal apparatus of the internal antenna type is superior in portability as well as in constructional strength to the apparatus of the exposed antenna type.
However, in relation to communication characteristics, the information terminal apparatus of the internal antenna type is inferior to that of the exposed antenna type and hence requires a large space between the antenna and a noise source including an electric circuit.
More specifically, many noise sources exist in the housing and hence noises from these sources adversely influence the antenna if the large space is not provided. This leads to a troublesome hindrance in communication of radio waves.
This resultantly leads to a problem that the size of the housing of the information terminal apparatus becomes greater and hence the overall size thereof is increased.
In this connection, it has been a common practice that the noise source is covered with a metallic shield to minimize the influence of noises from the noise source. However, this results in a problem that the cost of the information terminal apparatus is soared, the overall weight of the apparatus is increased, and portability thereof is deteriorated.
In regard to these problems, there has been described a portable pen-based information terminal apparatus of an internal antenna type in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Serial No. 9-191207, the apparatus having desired communication characteristics with satisfactory portability.
The apparatus includes an antenna which serves also as a touch-pen and which can be used to input data from a display and input section.
However, the technology of the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Serial No. 9-191207 is attended with problems as follows.
Namely, in a terminal apparatus of which a touch-pen integrally includes an antenna device, when the touch-pen is installed in a pen storing space of a housing of the apparatus, there can be obtained a desired antenna characteristic. However, the antenna characteristic is deteriorated when the touch-pen is removed from the space to input data by use thereof.
Additionally, in a case in which the touch-pen and the antenna are fabricated in an unit, when the touch-pen is lost, it is impossible for the apparatus to receive radio waves.
Furthermore, when the antenna device is integrally disposed in the touch pen, there is required a contact point between a wireless unit and the antenna device. There inevitably occurs contact resistance at such a mechanical contact point, which leads to a disadvantage that the antenna loss is increased.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable pen-based information terminal apparatus including a pen storing section and an antenna device in which in consideration of a long distance between the pen storing section and the noise source, the antenna device includes the pen storing section to thereby decrease the size, weight, and cost of the terminal apparatus.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a portable pen-based information terminal apparatus, which includes a housing including a display and input section, a pen storing section, a communicating unit, and an antenna device, the communicating unit and the antenna device being integrally disposed in the housing. The apparatus further includes an input pen insertably and removably arranged in the pen storing section of the housing and capable of displaying items on the display and input section. The pen storing section is formed in the antenna device.
Thanks to the configuration, the antenna device is mounted at a position sufficiently apart from a noise source to advantageously obtain satisfactory communication characteristics.
In the portable pen-based information terminal apparatus of the present invention, the antenna device including the pen storing section is disposed along a front end edge of the housing.
Therefore, the antenna device is located at a position substantially most apart from a noise source in the housing.
In the portable pen-based information terminal apparatus of the present invention, the antenna device includes a mono-pole antenna device.
In consequence, the mono-pole antenna device is located at a position sufficiently apart from a noise source to thereby attain desired communication characteristics.
In the portable pen-based information terminal apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the mono-pole antenna device is constructed in a form of a hexahedron.
Due to the structure, the mono-pole antenna device is installed at a position having a distance from a noise source, the distance being enough to obtain satisfactory communication characteristics.
In the portable pen-based information terminal apparatus of the present invention, the antenna device includes a helical antenna device.
Thanks to the constitution, the helical antenna device is located at a position which is sufficiently apart from a noise source to obtain desired communication characteristics.
In the portable pen-based information terminal apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the antenna device includes a helical antenna device having a form of an inverted F.
Consequently, the inverted-F-shaped antenna device is disposed at a position enough to be apart from a noise source to obtain desired communication characteristics.
In the portable pen-based information terminal apparatus of the present invention, the antenna device includes a loop antenna device.
Thanks to the construction, the loop antenna device is located at a position sufficiently apart from a noise source, which leads to satisfactory communication characteristics.